


Take a Moment

by OrangeBlossoms



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Family Fluff, Gen, Nagamas 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 09:16:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12956100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Lissa takes the boys fishing. Maribelle joins them after some persuading.





	Take a Moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BirdMonster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdMonster/gifts).



> This is a Nagamas gift for avesmonster on tumblr. Thank you for the cute prompt and thanks to the mods for all their work putting together this event!

The sight of light filtering in from an open window was the first sensation to greet her as she regained consciousness in phases. Based on the angle of the sun and the quiet sounds of the world changing shifts, they had slept in later than normal. She sighed in contentment as a gentle breeze lightly ruffled loose curls. Long gone were the days of tight ringlets. 

An unintelligible murmur could be heard to her side. As she further opened bleary eyes, she sheepishly recognized an imbalance in blankets that her restless sleeping self must have stolen some time in the night. She attempted to shift in a way so as not to disturb her wife as she rectified the issue. Lissa’s only response was to mumble another indecipherable string of sounds before turning and snuggling back against her. The warmth tempted her back to sleep as her eyelids grew heavy again. She had a history of sleeping poorly, but Lissa had an equally impressive track record of being slow to wake up without the proper motivation. Said motivation arrived soon after as a door burst open with a harried apology from an attendant. Lissa waved off the concern, yawning behind her other hand. The door shut once again with a firm click that signaled the end of their rest.

Two overly excited young boys who had been promised fishing lessons approached with voices that burst through the somnolent morning lull like an impromptu parade. Owain climbed over the wooden footboard and flexed his arms as he stood in the middle of the bed proclaiming his certainty of inheriting almighty angling skills from Mother and the ability to strike fear in the hearts of fish from Ma. Brady clambered over Maribelle where she lay on the side nearest the door, stepping on her stomach in the process and causing her to wheeze in surprise. He curled up next to her in a way that instantly made her forgive the transgression. Lissa tackled Owain provoking an eruption of giggles as she ruffled his hair and proclaimed they would wake up when the sun had finished doing so. 

“But Mother! You said they are hungry in the morning!” Owain said, one arm slung around her neck. “And it’s morning!”

Lissa looked over to Maribelle, mouth set in an amenable lopsided grin and eyes still sleep-laden despite all the excitement.

“I did say that, didn’t I, huh? Well, alright. Both of you get dressed in the clothes we picked out and then we’ll go.” 

The countryside did have its merits. The near constant buzz of activity in castle life was absent. They had not had time off in what seemed like years. Nearly all their trips together had been diplomatic or scholarly in nature. From festivals to galas, one or the other had to attend to professional duties and other responsibilities. 

Despite Lissa’s tendencies towards forging her place as a notably non-traditional princess, she still had obligations of her own. Her traveling had lessened in recent years with raising the boys and Maribelle’s obligations ever increasing as she stayed true to her younger self’s aspirations of joining the royal judiciary. Her work had drawn in admirers, allies and adversaries alike. It was both a relief and cause for concern to (mostly) get away from it all even for a few short days.

“Well then, everybody up, up, up!” Maribelle said, gathering up Brady, who had already become limp just moments after marching into the room with his brother. “Your Mother has graciously agreed to impart some of her knowledge onto you.” 

They began preparations for the day, Lissa tying her hair back in a loose braid and Maribelle gathering a pile of documents. She would observe at a distance as she worked in hopes of having time in the afternoon to relax over tea. Breakfast was packed to take with them and they walked over to the water as a group, Lissa making a game of being quiet so as not to disturb the fish. Surprising no one, Owain was the least successful at adhering to the limited ruleset. The trio settled in by the water and waited, talking to each other in low voices as Lissa pointed out the animals that called the pond home. 

Maribelle adjusted her reading glasses as she looked over papers, several rocks chosen by Owain weighed down piles so she didn’t lose them to the breeze. He had insisted on naming each stone, guaranteeing they contained unearthly properties that would ward her paperwork from harm. 

Her focus was interrupted after some time by cheering from the small group at the pond. Lissa was beaming from ear to ear while Owain and Brady jumped up and down. The three of them waved her over. Carefully picking her way over the bank of the lake, she was presented with their first catch of the day. She had to wonder if it would be their only catch of the day after all the commotion the group had made. 

“I can assure you, darling, I will not be eating the fish from that pond. If you would like the full rustic experience, however, be my guest.”

“Oh, Maribelle, don’t be such a stick-in-the-mud. You know, we could always swap if you want to do a little fishing yourself,” she said, waggling her eyebrows and grinning.

“Hmm, no. I think I will continue to watch at a safe distance in the shade.” 

It was Brady who interrupted as he walked over and hugged her leg. She grimaced as she felt wet handprints soak through the fabric before sighing in resignation and picking him up. She quickly altered her expression into something more pleasant.

“Have you been enjoying yourself, darling?”

Owain babbled early and often when he was Brady’s age, but Brady was a much quieter child, often silently observing. He nodded at her before leaning his head against her shoulder. She kissed soft, unruly curls only to feel a still wet hand gently pat her on her cheek. Lissa did her best to restrain her amusement and Maribelle simply shrugged, knowing when to concede gracefully.

“I suppose I could join you for a bit,” she said, glancing back at her work in apology. 

The plan was to get as much done during the first few days before they went to meet Sumia as she inspected the newest pegasus foals, her expertise with the flying mounts reaching some renown even abroad. Sumia had assured them that pegasi, while wary of men, would be more docile around children and she would be supervising the interaction. Maribelle felt the experience would be educational and Lissa was delighted to spend time with friends and family. She was planning to start by asking if Sumia had read any good books lately just to see the panic in Maribelle’s eyes contrast with Sumia’s earnest joy over one of her many interests. They still had a shelf of books on loan from her that Maribelle made her way through at a snail's pace with her limited time. 

With Brady still in one arm, Maribelle felt an insistent tug on her other as she was led to the waterside by Owain, all memory of the “quiet game” gone out the window as he began to instruct her on proper procedure. 

“And _then_ you put the _worm_ on the hook!” he explained, pausing for dramatic effect and taking no small delight in observing his Ma recoil slightly at the proposed next action.

Stifling her own reluctance regarding worms and fish, Maribelle joined in on their efforts. Lissa at one point remarked that it wasn’t any worse than handling frogs and Maribelle had been successfully recruited into doing so once upon a time. 

It was a few hours later when Lissa began packing up the supplies. Her expression softened when she caught sight of Maribelle once again leaning over her work with Brady propped up against her, head lolling forward as he attempted to stay alert after their early wake up time.

Owain had torn off into the water after a quiet stretch, leaving Lissa blinking on the shore in his wake. Maribelle had flipped up her glasses in time to observe their son flop into the shallows. He was currently chasing after dragonflies near the water's edge, clothes slowly drying as he ran in the midday sun. 

“Ready for lunch?” Lissa said as she approached, arms outstretched to pick up the youngest who accepted the embrace without protest. 

“Yes. I’m exhausted simply watching,” she said with a laugh, observing as Owain took a tumble only to get back up without pause. “Time to round up our little barbarian.”

As if on cue, Owain curved toward them in a run. He stopped in front of them panting. 

“Why… does Brady… get to be carried?” he asked, gulping down breaths in between words.

“It’s past his nap time, darling,” Maribelle said. “Don’t you want to have lunch with your mothers?” 

He thought it over a moment before nodding. She extended her hand to him and he happily swung their linked hands between them as they walked. He grabbed Lissa's free hand as well and they all made their way back to enjoy the rest of the day together.


End file.
